


The Voice of Wisdom

by sleeplittlechild



Series: Little Girl [2]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 08:53:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7260934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeplittlechild/pseuds/sleeplittlechild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Jocelyn wakes up and Magnus goes home, Alec goes for advice in an unlikely place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Voice of Wisdom

It's late when there's a knock at the door. Jocelyn pulled herself from Clary's arms and went to the door. Clary hadn't been able to stop hugging her mother since the spell, trying to convince herself that her mother was back again. After all the craziness of the last few weeks, Jocelyn and Clary were together again - as they had always been.

Opening the door, Alec Lightwood was definitely not someone Clary would've expected.

"Hi! Mrs. Fair - Miss Fray." Alec corrected himself with a smile forced on his mouth. Over her mother's shoulder, Clary watched him. He was worrying his hands, wrapping one over the other in front of his chest. It wasn't something she'd seen Alec do before - be nervous. Not even at the wedding (although that might've been more because he had resigned himself to to the lying.) He cleared his throat a few times. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm...fine. Alec." Jocelyn said, seeming just as surprised as Clary to find Alec. She opened the door wider, letting Clary see better. "Did your mother send you to check on me? I didn't think I saw Maryse anywhere..."

"No, no - she's, uhm...she and my Dad went back to Idris when we found out about Hodge." Alec seemed...almost as if he were blushing as his fingers curled into a fist that he started pounding into his other palm. "I actually...wanted to come talk to Clary."

"Me?" Clary squeaked. Jocelyn looked between the two of them, her mouth forming an unspoken, "Oh."

"This is probably a bad time. It's late. I'll come back tomorrow." Alec stepped back, ready to bolt.

"No, no - it's okay." Jocelyn stepped away from the door, wrapping an arm around Clary's shoulders. "I'm gonna go visit Luke. I'll be right next door if you need me, okay?"

Clary nodded, smiling. "Good night text?" She was joking, but part of Clary hoped she actually would.

"Should expect nothing less." Jocelyn kissed her forehead, gave her daughter one final hug, and left the room. Alec walked through. He didn't stop fidgeting, blatantly uncomfortable with...whatever it was he wanted to talk to Clary about.

"So..." Clary started, eyes pilfering between Alec and Jocelyn. "Are you...doing okay?"

"What? Oh, uhm...I'm...yeah, I'm doing okay." Nobody had really mentioned Jace's decision to join Valentine. Clary certainly didn't know how she was going to talk about it with Alec, who she still wasn't sure if he hated her or not. Looking at Alec, Clary was thankful that they seemed the same in that regard.

Silence stood between them, neither knowing what to say.

"Alec, what did you -"

"I need you to tell me I'm being stupid." Alec blurted out as soon as the door closed behind Jocelyn.

"Uh..." Clary blinked because that was the only response that made any sense. "Is there...any particularly reason?"

"I just...really need to hear it. Right now." Alec laughed and Clary almost believed it was real. "So go on - tell me I'm stupid. I know you've always wanted to say it."

"Alec, what's going on?"

"Just say it."

"No. Alec, look, whatever your mom said, she's - "

"Fray, all I'm asking you is - "

" - wrong. It wasn't your fault that Jace - "

" _Little girl_."

Clary stopped talking. Alec knew how much she hated the title - it was a quick way to get her to stop in her tracks. She stared at him, wide-eyed. "You're being stupid."

Alec responded like he'd been let loose. Like he'd been so tied up with anxiety and now, everything spilled out. "I know!" He exclaimed. He went about pacing, his hand-wringing becoming even worse. "It's just...ever since the loft, I can't get her words out of my head. And I know it's wrong and Magnus'll probably have my head for this, but I can't help it! I can't stop thinking about - "

"Woah, Alec." Clary stepped forth in his pacing, stopping him with her hands on his arms. "What is all this about?"

Alec breathed deeply, turning to biting his lip if he couldn't pace anymore. "I was looking...in the library. For books on...immortality." His eyes shifted one way and another. He side-stepped Clary and walked slowly to the great bed Clary had been given. "I found a few that..." Clary followed him. She leaned forward into his field of vision and when he looked at her, gave him a small smile. She wanted him to know he could say anything. He was safe to speak here. Alec breathed out. "It's just...I keep thinking about what would happen. If me and Magnus became...serious and then I..." He sat on the bed. "And then I die and he's left alone again for years until he falls in love again. He has to lose everyone he cares about over and over again. And I don't want him to."

"Alec...what did you find in the library?"

Alec looked up at the red-headed girl. Slowly, Clary reached out with enough time for Alec to stop her. She wrapped her fingers around his large hands, stilling them in their worrying movements. He could tell her anything and she would have no reason to tell anyone. For once in his life, Alec had met someone completely unattached to the world around him. It was Heaven-sent. He smiled at her in gratefulness, worrying his lip while the words came together.

"Rituals. Lots and lots of rituals. Some that give you immortality. And some that...take it away."

Clary's fingers tightened around his. Alec didn't hold it against her - it was surprising. By the Angel, he was surprised himself. What surprised him more was how enticing the spells were to use. "Alec...you're not going to actually _do_ this are you?"

 _No! Of course not!_ Alec should have said, without a shadow of a doubt to be heard. But he was doubtful - that was the problem. "I know. It's a horrible idea. But every time I tell myself how horrible this is, all I can hear is..."

"Camille." Clary stood, circling Alec to sit beside him. "Alec...you can't let her get to you. She's just using you to try and get back at Magnus. Everything she says, everything she does, she does - "

" - she does to get her way?" Alec smirked and Clary laughed.

"Yes, because she's a lowlife spoiled brat and she gives all vampires a bad name. I mean...I'd rather be stuck with Raphael all day than her. And currently he wants to rip my throat out." Alec laughed, truly laughed. Clary felt proud of herself for that. "Magnus loves you. And every second you spend trying to figure out this immortality issue is a second you two spend not together."

Alec's eyebrows raised, as if he finally realized Clary actually made sense. "I know. It just couldn't stop thinking about it." He turned to her. "Thanks for this, Fray."

Clary rolled her eyes. "You know - that still feels weird." Alec couldn't agree more.


End file.
